Dr. Kate's Blog

2/1/2017 BiodynamicCraniosacral Therapy is wonderful at treating concussions. Yet sometimes it takes a deeper look at more influences that need to be addressed for our clients to get better. The danger of a concussion is when the brain bounces around the skull too hard causing a subdural bruise or hemotoma. Here are the symptoms: "Headache, confusion, vomiting, slurred speech, or coma may appear immediately or weeks after a head injury. In some cases, a subduralhematoma may not cause symptoms." This is what we need to watch out for to refer the client immediately to the emergency room. Otherwise they could fall into a coma.Small or symptomless subduralhematomas may not need treatment and only need to be watched over time. For severe cases, surgery is often needed.

Craniosacral therapy helps to diffuse the forces that are being held in the body from the head blow trauma. Our work supports better movement of the tissue mobility and motility, as well as strengthening the access to healing forces within the body. No other therapy does this as clearly, and succinctly as biodynamiccraniosacral therapy. Our work supports autonomic regulation quite well. We all know this as it is common sense correct? Someday neurologists will know this and start referring patients to us.What happens in my practice:What I have seen in my practice is that a few crucial things can complicate healing time. Once I found all the factors involved, I have seen powerful healing of post concussive syndrome, and traumatic brain injury turning that before making multifactoral changes had not turned things around.

Limit screen time and avoid blue light:A huge factor is screen time. People are now on their phones as well as their I Pads and computers more than ever. The first thing that bothers concussion clients is their eyes. They have to limit screen time to no more than an hour at a time. They also should get the "flux" application for their computer which changes the screen color so that it is easier on their eyes. If you have an I-Phone swipe up on your screen and put the night screen. Android phone users go to your settings and look up night mode, or look for a blue light filter App. Screen exposure to blue light at night is a bad thing, as it effectively tricks your brain into thinking that it’s still daytime. It suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that is produced at night and prepares the body for sleep. Use the same principle when your client has a concussion or migraine, as to lower their exposure to blue light.

Another major factor is the gut brain connection being compromised:

1) Autonomic dysregulation from brain trauma can influence the wiring to the gut.The nerve that influences the gut from the brain is the Vagus nerve. So signals can be hyper or hypo activated. Remember studying facilitated nerves? That would cause a hyper activated Vagus nerve. Parasympathetic freeze can cause hypoarousal and decease the motility of the gut wall.

2) If your client is eating gluten, and food laced with glyphosate/roundup it is likely their traumatic brain injury and concussion will not improve, as these substances cause leaky gut.3) Concussions themselves also cause leaky gut/dysbiosis. The underlying mechanism for this is that when trauma occurs, stress happens and the mucousal lining gets compromised. The tight cell junctions in the gut become leaky, and food particles, bacteria, and chemical substances are leaked into blood stream. This sets a person up for autoimmune issues.4)Lastly if a person is over 50 years old, or has a gene mutation that makes it difficult to methylate they will not get the enough nutrients for their brain to heal. Methylation is a process that is central to life sustaining and healing, and happens every second in every cell. The B vitamins need to be in a specific form so that the body and brain can use them. Low doses of Methyl B12, and Methyltetrahydrofolate are recommended to help the brain heal. There are not too many brands that have low doses, or less active forms that are safer like AdenosylCobalamin, and HydroxyCobalamine. Consult with me on dosage if you want to address these key nutrients. Professor David Smith from Oxford University states: "We already know about homocysteine, a toxic amino acid that damages the brain, which can be lowered with inexpensive B vitamins. "This is the first treatment that has been shown to potentially arrest Alzheimer’s related brain shrinkage, it has been reported that a 53% decrease in the rate of brain shrinkage in those with high homocysteine levels given inexpensive B vitamins." Healing often involves the ability to lower inflammation . By lowering homocysteine you are lowering inflammation, that helps an inflamed brain.

Conclusion: It is our way and quite helpful to see what comes up in the sessions via the inherent treatment plan that arises from the Breath of Life. Knowing anatomy speaks the language of the body, so you can "listen" more clearly and "see" what is being shown. What I have seen in practice is that these treatments effectiveness is much higher when coupled with addressing gut brain support and balance.Here are some things you can include in your treatment. A) Change the client's computer screen and phone to decrease blue light exposureB) Put them on Omega 3 oils as much of your brain and cells need good fat to thriveC) Put them on a good probiotic and digestive enzymes/prebioticD) Get their 23andme results to me, and I can help you figure out which types of B12, and B9 are bestE) Get them off Gluten, and GMO laced foods that have roundup/Glyphosate in themF) See them every week until their symptoms start to stabilize. It may take once a week for a year, do not be discouraged.G) Get them a helmet if they like to bike, and away from contact sports.

All of these things can completely turn around their progress for the better, and since we have such a powerful way to treat the brain, body, and nervous system we could be hero's... (tribute to Mr Bowie)